Various belt clips are known in the art for securing an article to a belt worn by a user. Additionally, a wide variety of belts also exist in the art, including conventional belts, which are commonly secured to a user's article of clothing by a series of belt loops, and utility belts, which may be secured to a user by a variety of other means known in the art. In a typical configuration, a desired article is removably secured to one portion of a belt clip and another portion of the belt clip is then removably secured to a user's belt by an attachment device, such as a spring loaded mechanism. In some instances, the belt clip may be locked onto the user's belt.
Users of belt clips may include both civilian and military or law enforcement personnel. In the case of military or law enforcement personnel, typical articles that may be used in combination with a belt clip, may include, a firearm holster, a knife sheath, handcuffs, a chemical deterrent substance, a flashlight, etc. For users carrying these articles, it is desirable that the article be secured by the belt clip and positioned on the user's belt such that the article is readily accessible and is delivered to the hand of the user in a desired orientation. A user instinctively reaching for an article secured to a belt clip expects the article to be located at a specification location on the belt and at a particular orientation. For example, law enforcement personnel instinctively reaching for a firearm in a firearm holster expect the holster to be positioned within easy reach and orientated such that the handle of the firearm can be properly grasped. As such, it is undesirable for a belt clip to shift along the length of the belt or to rotate on the belt, thereby changing the orientation of the article relative to the user. However, while belt clips are known in the art for securing an article to a belt, the belt clips currently known in the art are not designed to prevent the belt clip from shifting and rotating the secured article relative to the user.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a belt clip that provides stability for the article relative to the belt, that maintains a desired orientation and position of the article on a user's belt and that is designed to prevent the belt clip from shifting and rotating on the belt.